Bowling ball bag



-July 28,1970 QEDMHS 3,521, 90

'--BOWLING BALL B\AG Filed April 18, 1968 INVENTORv Tr'ogg EY United States Patent 015cc US. Cl. 150-52 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bowling ball and accessories bag including a flexible bag of substantially greater height than a bowling ball and a container having length and width dimensions substantially equal to those of the bag removably secured therein. The container is partitioned to provide a shoe compartment accessible from the front of the bag and a plurality of accessory compartments. The container is also provided with a hinged cover having a circular opening to receive the lower portion of the ball therein, said cover forming a top for the accessory compartments when closed and being maintained in closed position by the weight of the ball supported upon the cover.

T he present invention relates to improvements in bowling ball bags.

Flexible bowling ball bags fabricated of leather, fabric or plastic and provided with separate compartments, one for the bowling ball and a second for bowling shoes and other accessories have been heretofore provided for the purpose of protecting the ball from being scratched, scuffed or otherwise damaged or soiled by contact with the bowling shoes or other accessories, as well as for protecting the shoes from being crushed or deformed by the weight of the ball.

Bowling ball bags of this type have, however, not proven entirely satisfactory for a number of reasons. For instance, the means dividing the interior of the bag into separate compartments have consisted of metal stands or frames which not only unduly increase the Weight of the bag but result in increased wear and tear on the bag. Also, these dividers do not completely separate the shoe compartment from the ball compartment, with the result that small accessories placed in the shoe compartment may find their way into the ball compartment, causing damage to the ball. Further, small articles placed loosely in the shoe compartment may damage the shoes or be damaged by them.

It is, therefore, the aim of this invention to provide a flexible type bowling ball bag having novel and improved means for dividing the interior of the bag into separate compartments which will allow for maximum use of the bag for shoes and small accessories without the liability of injury thereto or to the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a divider in the form of a container having a plurality of individual compartments for receiving in an orderly manner various miscellaneous articles and for effectively preventing them from becoming scrambled or finding their way into the ball compartment or the shoe compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a container in which the individual compartments are readily accessible when the bag is opened and the ball removed, but which are securely closed when the ball is in position in the bag.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a container in which the individual compartments are closed by a hinged cover which not only serves to support the bowling ball in the bag but is effectively maintained in closed position by the weight of the ball, thereby preventing the accessories contained in the individual com- 3,521,690 Patented July 28, 1970 partments from becoming scrambled even should the bag be placed on its side.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bowling ball bag constructed in accordance with the invention shown in closed position with the container and bowling ball being indicated in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the bag open and the cover of the container in raised position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the divider removed from the bag;

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing one type of means for removably securing the container in the bag; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of another way in which the container may be removably secured in the bag.

Referring now to the drawings, the bowling ball bag generally indicated at :10 includes a flexible bag of substantially greater height than a bowling ball and having a rectangular bottom portion 11 and front and rear walls 12 and 13 integral therewith. The front wall 12 is provided with side portions 14 and a top portion 15 while the rear wall 13 is provided with a side portion 16 and a top portion 17, said side and top portions being closed by a zipper closure means 18.

The side and top portions of the front wall 12 are relatively narrower than those of the rear Wall 13 with the result that the zipper closure means 18 is spaced forwardly from the longitudinal center line of the bag to enable the front wall to be laid completely open in a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2 so that ready access can be had to the container generally indicated by the numeral 19 and bowling ball 20, as well as permitting the container to be readily inserted in and removed from the bag. A pair of handles 21 are secured to the upper portions of the front and rear walls.

The container 19 is rectangular and of length and width dimensions substantially equal to those of the bag so as to fit snugly therein. It is also preferably molded of a suitable plastic material. The container comprises a bottom 22, front and rear walls 23 and 24, end walls 25 and 26 and a cover 27 hinged to the rear wall as at 28. Positioned approximately mid-way between the top and bottom of the container is a horizontal partition wall 29 extending between the front and rear and end walls to divide the interior of the container into a lower compartment 30, which is primarily provided for the reception of bowling shoes, and an open upper area 31. The front wall 23 of the container is provided with an opening 32 through which access can be had to the compartment 30.

The space above the partition wall 29 is divided by suitable means, such as the transverse partition strips 33 and 34, into three individual compartments 35, 36 and 37, with the center compartment 36 being relatively wider than the two side compartments 35 and 37 which are adapted to hold bowling accessories or other miscellaneous articles.

The hinged cover 27 is provided with a circular opening 38 having a diameter substantially less than the bowling ball to be supported by said cover. As shown in FIG. 3, when the cover is closed, it provides a top for the side compartments 35 and 37 so that any articles contained therein will be prevented from being dislodged therefrom. Further, when the bowling ball 20 is supported upon the cover, as indicated in FIG. 1, the lower portion thereof will be received in the center compartment 36 and the weight of the ball will firmly retain the cover in closed position. Since the ball fits snugly within the bag, it will prevent the cover from being accidentally opened even though the bag may be laid on its side. Thus, the articles in the compartments 35 and 37 will be prevented from spilling out and coming into contact with the ball. However, when the bag is opened and the ball removed, the compartments 35 and 37 are readily accessible upon raising of the cover 27. Likewise, the shoe compartment 30 will also be readily accessible.

The invention also contemplates that the container 19 be removably secured in place within the bag and that it can be readily inserted in and removed therefrom as desired, such as when it may be desired to use the bag as a traveling bag. Two different ways in which this can be done are illustrated, by way of example, in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In FIG. 4, the end walls 25 and 26 of the container 19 are each formed with a horizontal transverse groove 39 and secured to the substantially rigid liner 40 carried by the bottom of the bag, at each end thereof, is an elon gated transverse strip 41 having a base portion 42 secured to the liner 40 by rivets or the like 43 and a vertically off-set horizontal flange 44 slidably received in the respective groove 39.

In FIG. 5, there is carried by each end wall of the container an angle strip 45 having an upstanding leg 46 secured by rivets or the like 47 to said end wall and a horizontal leg 48 slidably received beneath the off-set flange 49 of a strip 50 secured to the substantially rigid bottom liner 40 by rivets or the like 51.

It will be appreciated that with the arrangements in 'FIGS. 4 and 5, the container 19 can be readily inserted in or removed from the bag by a sliding movement when the front of the bag is completely opened as in FIG. 2.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such as not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A bowling ball and accessories bag of substantially greater height than a bowling ball, comprising a bottom, front and rear walls having side and top portions and closure means for securing said side and top portions together, and a container in said bag provided with a horizontal partition wall intermediate the top and bottom thereof dividing the interior of said container into lower and upper individual shoe and accessories compartments and a cover for said container having a circular opening therein for receiving the lower portion of a bowling ball supported on said cover when closed.

2. A bowling ball and accessories bag as defined in claim 1, including coacting means on said bag and container for removably securing said container in said bag.

3. A bowling ball and accessories bag as defined in claim 1, in which said container includes means dividing the space above said partition wall into a center compartment and at least two side compartments, said cover when closed constituting the top of said side compartments and the circular opening in said cover being located above the center compartment which receives the lower portion of the ball therein.

4. A bowling ball and accessories bag as defined in claim 3, including co-acting means on said bag and container for permitting slidable movement of said container into and from said bag.

5. A bowling ball and accessories bag as defined in claim 1, in which said container has length and width dimensions substantially equal to those of said bag and comprises a bottom, front and rear and end walls and in which said cover is hinged to the rear wall and provided with a circular opening for receiving the lower portion of a bowling ball supported on said cover when closed, said horizontal partition wall extending between said front and rear and end walls and forming said lower compartment therebeneath, said front wall being provided with an opening to provide access to said compartment, and spaced transverse strips dividing the space above said partition wall into a center compartment and at least two side compartments, said cover when closed constituting the top of said side compartments and the circular opening in said cover being located above the center compartment which receives the lower portion of the ball therein.

6. A bowling ball and accessories bag as defined in claim 5, in which the bottom of the bag includes a substantially rigid liner and including intergaging means on said liner and end walls of the container so that said container can be slidably inserted into and removed from said bag.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,754,870 7/1956 Glantz. 2,850,063 9/1958 HorWitz. 3,011,648 12/1961 Einhorn.

DONA-LD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. --51 

